This is a new concept where Grammar Lessons will be introduced to you in easy bite size bits which will open your eyes to the superiority of the language which Allah (SWT) selected to reveal his book. You don’t even need to know Arabic to appreciate this, Insha’Allah.

This lesson introduces “Diminutive Nouns” in Arabic. These are constructed nouns which are used for affection and showing love and care. They can ONLY be made from 3 letter Nouns and the pattern given is only one way to do this (they are other ways to make this).

Consider a random 3 letter noun فعل as you can see that it is actually constructed from 3 letters namely ف ع ل

For the sake of simplicity we don't care about the vowel on each of these letters e.g. we don't care if it has Damma (Paish), Fatha (Zabar) or Zaer (Kasrah) on it اَ اِ اُ don't care what is on each letter.

To form a “Diminutive Nouns” in Arabic here is the pattern:

ف becomesفُ

عbecomesعَ

A new letter is inserted يْ

لbecomesلٌso the new word becomes...

فُعَيْلٌ

We will now test this pattern of conversion.

The word for boy in Arabic is وَلَدٌ but when we apply this pattern it gets converted to وُلَيْدٌ which means "O dear, beloved little boy"

Bonus Question:

When the first Grandson of our Nabi (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was born he was named حَسَنٌ do you know what his little brother who was born a year (or so later) was named?

Why?

What does the name of the second Grandson of Nabi (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) mean according to what you have just learned?

Please reveal the answer on 09MAY2014 after midnight and you will be given a second Bonus question :)

I will assume you meant your midnight.

1. His little brother was named حُسَيْنٌ.
2. This is because حُسَيْنٌ is the diminutive form of حَسَنٌ, as the former was the younger brother of the latter.
3. Since حَسَنٌ can mean "good one" (according to Wikipedia), حُسَيْنٌ must mean something to the effect of "dear, beloved, and smaller good one."

عَبْدٌ in Arabic literally means "Slave" but in Islamic context it is often used as short form for عَبْدُاللهِ which means Slave of Allah (SWT). Your homework is in two phases:

Phase 1: Please spot the change in the original word عَبْدٌ when it joined a second word to make a combination of عَبْدُاللهِ and tell us what is the change? It is extremely important for you to spot the change although this is not connected to this lesson.

Optional Reading: If you want to understand this concept in detail in Arabic please browse Lesson 5 and look into Al-Idfaha (Possessive phrase) but remember that this is optional for you to do as this concept will be fully covered in later lessons.

Phase 2: Form a diminutive noun for عَبْدٌ , type it correctly and explain its meaning? Hint: Its a very common Boy's name

Simply respond to say that you have solved the second bonus question but don't type it in until 10MAY2014 midnight (your local time) :P

Phase 1: When the original word, (عَبْدٌ), is joined with a second word to make a combination of (عَبْدُ اللّٰهِ), the change is that the dammatayn on the daal (ــدٌ) change to a single dammah (ــدُ). This is because the original word, `abd, is (مُضَافٌ), an object possessed by the owner, (مُضَافٌ إِلَيْهِ), Allaah.

Phase 2: The diminutive form of (عَبْدٌ) is (عُبَيْدٌ). The near meaning is "dear, beloved little slave (of Allaah, in Islamic context)."

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